


time's up (now I really need to go)

by iljhoon



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - TiMER Fusion, Angst, Death, Heartache, M/M, Someone dies, Till Death Do Us Part, kinda rushed towards the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 02:44:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8950810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iljhoon/pseuds/iljhoon
Summary: The timer starts counting down and soon, Jihoon won't be here for Seungcheol anymore.





	

**Author's Note:**

> there may be some grammatical errors here and there, sorry!

The day when Lee Jihoon rolled up his sleeves and found a silver timer implanted into his right arm, he looked at the queer object, curiosity filling up his head like stars in the solar system. He tried rubbing it away, furiously scrubbing his skin under water that varied from freezing temperatures to nearly scalding hot, but no matter what he does, the timer simply sits comfortably in the curve of his arm.

He sighs, and plops himself onto the burgundy coloured couch. The colour was too pretty for his liking, but his mother insisted on this colour, stating that the furniture store had ran out of the darker tones _(Jihoon went down to check and turns out, they were out of all the darker tones)._ Soft and skillful hands reach down to grab the remote, he fiddles with the number buttons as he switched from channel to channel. "There's nothing to watch, huh?" He was about to turn the device off, and head to the kitchen when the 9 o'clock news came back on with a headline painted in flashing blues and yellows, the text reading : **_Strange timer-like objects start appearing on the bodies of people throughout the country._**

Jihoon hadn't realised he had held his breath while the newscaster read out from her script, _"This morning, reports of timer-like objects started to appear on the bodies of our people, specifically their arms. There have been thousands of cases so far, and scientists deem that it might continue to spread like an epidemic. Citizens are advised to not panic and to stay calm as our officials are trying their best to figure out what these timers may signify. We will be keeping you posted."_

He stares at the timer, his timer, but this time he realises it looks different. Bright red and illuminating numbers had filled up the gaps, and now it looks like an exact replica of his alarm clock - except under the bleeding numbers were small words, where upon closer look, Jihoon realised they spelt out : **months, weeks, days, minutes**. He scoffs at the sight, _'what is this? Some sort of timer to see when I'll meet my soulmate?'_ He recalls the time his best friend, Kwon Soonyoung, sent him a load of stories based around the Timer concept. This almost seem like a dream of some sort,

 

and boy does Jihoon wish it was a dream.

 

The next day, Jihoon wakes up, and hurriedly checks the inner curve of his arm, and he hopes - no, **begs** that it was all some strange nightmare. He can't possibly with some strange timer telling him things. But he has to, for when he checks his arm, there it was, laying there in the crook of his arm, mocking him. He sighs, and reaches for his phone, only to realise the numerous missed calls he has gotten. 1 or 2 missed calls may be fine, but he has gotten over 10 of them, all of which were from his boyfriend, Choi Seungcheol.

 He met Seungcheol through Soonyoung and ever since they discovered their mutual love towards music and the finer arts, they have grown relatively closer, and soon, they were official. His eyebrows knitted tightly together, what could Seungcheol have wanted that he had called his cell so many times? Jihoon's fingers run over the keypad to unlock his phone, before clicking onto the his lover's contact number, and sticking the phone to his ear.

 

Within two rings, Seungcheol picks up, his voice filled with frantic as he breathes out, _"You're okay, right? You're alive, right?"_ Jihoon tries his best not to roll his eyes, but what was Seungcheol going on about?

 

"Uh, yes? Of course I am, how else would I be able to call you back?"

 

_"Babe, can you do me a favour?"_ Seungcheol's tone had sounded as though he was in the middle of a marathon when Jihoon called him. What could have made him sound like he was walking on hot coal?

 

"Sure, what is it?"

 

_"Can you check your timer? Tell me the numbers on your timer."_

"How did you-"

_"I assumed you have a timer? Since nearly 90% of Koreans have it now."_

90? Wow, the number must have grown greatly overnight. The scientists must have been right about it spreading like an epidemic.

 

"Uh, it says **0 months, 0 weeks, 3 days and 9 minutes**. Why? Did they find out what the timer means?" Jihoon's voice shows that he was clueless about the amount of time he has left. Seungcheol feels his blood run cold, and for a second, he swears,

His heart had stopped.

 

_"I think it'd be better if I explained in person. I'll be over at your house in... 10 minutes. Don't do anything dangerous, alright? Love you."_ Seungcheol hangs up, leaving a series of beeps greeting Jihoon's ear, announcing to him that whoever it was had disconnected from the line. Jihoon simply stares into the empty space settled in front of him, and his mind goes slightly foggy, only wondering what could be wrong, and why Seungcheol was reacting as though he might die anytime soon. He won't die anytime soon, right?

 ~~~

When Seungcheol gets to Jihoon's doorstep and barges in, it takes Jihoon 3 seconds to remember that he gave Seungcheol an extra key to his house, and 5 seconds for Seungcheol to run in and cup Jihoon's face. "You're okay, right? Not dizzy or sick, or anything, right?"

"...Yes? Seungcheol, what's wrong? What does the timer mean?" Jihoon was worried, judging by the look on Seungcheol's face, he had looked as though he had encountered some terrifying ghost on his way on his way here. Seungcheol looks at Jihoon, tears glossing over his eyes, while his pretty, soft hands drop from cupping the latter's face, to holding his hands.

Seungcheol tries to ignore the hands that feel colder than he recalls.

Now, they're sitting on the couch, and Seungcheol looks helplessly over at Jihoon, whose face is buried in between his hands, his sobs echoing and bouncing off the yellowing walls of his interior. His body-tense, his cheeks-red. He looks up at Seungcheol, who has started rubbing circles up and down his spine, "Can I be selfish, for once?"

The question had caught Seungcheol off-guard, but he had only smiled in return, and Jihoon had taken that as a prompt to continue.

 

_"Can I spend my final days with you?"_ He nods in return, "Of course, baby."

 ~~~

 They spent the night like how they would, but there is a sinking feeling that's threatening to bite their heads off, the knowledge that this could, no it would be their final few days together. Seungcheol hates it, Jihoon hates it. But they suppose fate hates Jihoon more.

That night, Jihoon leaned against Seungcheol's chest, as they always do, listening to his heartbeat as both parties drift to bed. But don't think Seungcheol don't realise when Jihoon started shaking and crying all over again.

And Seungcheol understands.

 

The following morning, Seungcheol wakes up to Jihoon pacing up and down, and it had taken him nearly all the energy he could afford to hold him down in order to question why he had been so nervous about. _(He likes to pretend that Jihoon dying wasn't the real reason behind it.)_

 

"Are you okay babe?"

 

"Cheol? Why did the wording on my timer change? How did it change? Isn't it unchangeable?" Jihoon trailed off, eyes diverting towards the shiny little timer.

_He wants to throw up._

"What do you-" then he sees it, the words on Jihoon's timer have indeed changed. From the common, "months, weeks, days and hours", they have been kicked off and replaced by new words, ones that made the both of their hearts race yet stop at the same time.

**"2 days, 10 hours, 3 minutes, 29 seconds"** and the numbers just keep decreasing at an alarming rate.

He curses under his breath, how badly do they want to take his beloved away from him? He can't even do anything about it but watch Jihoon slip from his fingers.

"Hey, let's.. let's just make my last few days fun, okay?" Jihoon grabbed Seungcheol's hands, kissing his knuckles, "do it... for me?"

 

The latter simply looks at him in disbelief, he was the one who is going to die earlier, he can't do anything about it, yet here he is comforting he who still has 30 years under his belt. "Am I not pathetic? You're dying, yet you're consoling me? Shouldn't it be the other way round?"

Jihoon simply chuckles, "you're not pathetic."

 ~~~

 The duo spends their day going to places they have always wanted to, but never really found the time to. That brand new cat cafe that opened last summer, where their eyes lit up like little crystal lights, when the sound of Jihoon’s giggle filled the room as the cats pounced on him and tapped his knee with their little paws. That new bookstore that smells of nothing but pine cones and cinnamon and sells nothing but their favourite comics. Oh, and let's not forget the star gazing festival where they would lay out a blanket on the field of grass in the middle of the night, along with several other couples and groups of friends. Everyone sitting in pure, sweet silence, as they glance up at the bright stars that decorate the night sky.

Seungcheol points up at a star, and whispered just loud enough for Jihoon to catch what he had said,

"That's you."

He takes a peek at his partner, who tilts his head in confusion, "why?"

"Because it's the brightest of the lot," He pecks Jihoon's forehead, "and you are the brightest of the lot of people I have acquired."

Jihoon has never felt happier, and for that candy sweet moment, he forgot about dying.

 

That was how they spent those days together, without a care in the world.

But soon, the timer started showing plenty of zeros

**< 0 days, 0 hours, 30 minutes, 20 seconds>**

Now the two are sitting opposite one another, Seungcheol slurping on some chicken soup, and Jihoon chewing on some crackers. Comfortable silence and heavy tension was not good in this salad mix.

"Cheollie," he looks up upon hearing his name,

"I love you."

He looks at him, surprised, Jihoon was never the type of person to express his love and gratitude out loud. It had always been Seungcheol who said I love yous and initiated cuddle sessions or hugs or kisses. But Seungcheol was okay with it, since he knew Jihoon had always preferred silently adoration.

It's a terrible feeling to know that he's only saying this with barely a few minutes left on his timeline, but he's glad he got it out of his system before he goes.

**< 0 days, 0 hours, 20 minutes and 05 seconds>**

Grabbing his hands from across the table, Jihoon looks at Seungcheol, his face is smiling but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"Can you grant me a last wish? It's kind of selfish though.."

"Of course, love."

Jihoon makes a mental note of how that would be the last moment he hears these pet names leave Seungcheol's lips, as they disappear into a cloud of nothingness along with all of his worries. He wishes to end it off well.

~~~

**< 0 days, 0 hours, 10 minutes, 17 seconds>**

Jihoon lays against Seungcheol's chest and shuts his eyes tightly together as he listens to the latter's heartbeat pick up pace against his chest.

"Are you nervous? I can't believe after all these years, I still manage to have that effect on you." He teases his partner, as the corners of his lips move an inch up, but he can't smile any more than that.

"Yeah," Seungcheol managed to breathe out, the words coming out more like a sigh than he had intended, "you have magic wrapped around your being, and till today, you still make me feel like I'm on a roller coaster."

Jihoon chuckles, snuggling in closer to Seungcheol, "it's fun though, right?"

"I'll never get off this train, baby."

**< 0 days, 0 hours, 2 minutes, 13 seconds>**

To Seungcheol, he feels like he's watching a slow-mo magic show, where the magician would step into a box, and have his assistant lock him up, before placing those sharp like metal plates through different parts of the box. Where everyone would gasp in horror when they wonder if he's still alive, and gasp in wonder and delight when he steps out of the box, unscathed.

But this magical horror show, will have its first death in years, and the assistant can't do anything to stop it.

He would describe this feeling as that of nearly getting knocked down by a speeding car, or when a balloon almost pops as it hands a few centimetres away from a cactus. The feeling of wanting to throw up, which results in one holding his breath, hoping to suppress it.

"Hey Cheol," Jihoon turns around and looks at Seungcheol with this determination in his eyes. Seungcheol knows that look from anywhere.

"I hope you will find someone else after I go. I know this is a topic you wish to avoid, but this is a point I wish to tell you before I go. This is my death wish. Don't be too hung up over me, I love you, but I hope you will find someone else you love, other than me. Tell him, or her, I don't know, that you love them. Don't have your walls up too high, but don't set your guards down low as well, alright? Don't try to argue with me."

Seungcheol simply nods, despite the want to throw up intensifying.

 

**< 0 days, 0 hours, 1 minute, 23 seconds>**

Jihoon is so close, and Seungcheol wishes that he can change his timer with Jihoon's. He can't bear this thought, he can't bear it at all. He wants to die.

 

The couple simply chatter, while in each other's embrace, pretending everything is fine, pretending that no one is dying, talking about their futures _(mainly Seungcheol's)_ , laughing over their favourite memories. Seungcheol never wants this to end, and neither does Jihoon.

But fate doesn't change for anyone.

"I love you." Jihoon utters, and before Seungcheol can even react,

Jihoon goes limp, and weak in his arms, and soon, his heart beat doesn't beat anymore.

Seungcheol rolls up Jihoon's shirt sleeve, praying that somehow it isn't what he thought it was, but he was simply greeted with a bunch of zeros on Jihoon's cold arm.

**< 0 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds>**

Seungcheol looks at his lover, whose eyes were shut tightly, as though he was asleep, but this time he was never waking up again. He thought he was ready for this, he thought, he was okay.

 

_"No, no no no no-"_ he holds Jihoon's icy body, all signs of life absent from it, _"you can't go, n..not now.."_

 

 

His sobs fill the entire house.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I've been reading prompts and stories on Alternate Universes where there are timers on the people which will countdown till the day they meet their soulmate, and it got me thinking, what if there was a similar concept but instead, it counts down till the day you die? Hence, the birth of this story. I do hope this is as enjoyable to read as it was to write it! Enjoy!   
> ((it took me longer than it would to post this because my laptop kept working up and I had to re-write several parts but I do hope it is alright, at least))


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